Download or read book The Association Between the Introduction of a Province wide School Nutrition Policy and Food Consumption in Elementary School Children on Prince Edward Island written by Megan Mullally and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Results indicated that students in 2007 were more than twice as likely to report consuming less than 3 servings of LNDF compared to those in 2001/02 (OR=2.14 [95% CI 1.63, 2.83]). Survey year was also a significant predictor of whether or not students met CFG recommendations for Milk and Alternatives and Vegetables and Fruit. Students who were surveyed in 2007 were 1.3 times more likely to consume the recommended servings of Milk and Alternatives (p

Download or read book School Nutrition Policy Adherence and Weight Status in Elementary School Children in Prince Edward Island written by Brittany Lockwood and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The majority of Canadian provinces have adopted school nutrition policies (SNP) in an effort to improve children"s eating habits and reduce childhood overweight and obesity. While a number of provinces have implemented SNPs, there has been little in terms of evaluation across the country. All elementary schools in Prince Edward Island (PEI) adopted a SNP in 2005-2006. The purpose of this study was to describe the changes in SNP adherence over time, as well as assess the impact that SNP adherence has on children"s overweight and obesity rates. A self-administered survey was distributed to all elementary school principals in 2007 and 2010. The Principal School Food Survey (Appendix A) consisted of both a subjective and more objective component to assess the level of implementation of all SNP elements. The perceived adherence score was calculated using the responses from 15 subjective questions. Food list adherence, the more objective measure of adherence, was assessed by comparing the reported food and beverage items sold at lunch, in vending machines and canteens to policy guidelines. The relationship between overweight and obesity rates and both measures of adherence was assessed for 2010 only. It was predicted that schools with a higher level of adherence would have lower rates of overweight and obesity. Non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon rank sum, chi-square and Spearman"s rho) were used to assess changes in perceived adherence, food list adherence and the agreement between food list and perceived adherence respectively. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact that the level of policy adherence had on overweight and obesity rates. Results indicated that perceived adherence was higher in 2010 than 2007 (Mann-Whitney U= 519.5, p =0.007). Food list adherence for lunch program items and canteen items decreased significantly from 2007 to 2010 (x2= 12.576, df=3, p=0.006) while vending machines item adherence increased slightly during the same time period (x2=13.689, df=1, p=0.008). There was no significant agreement between overall perceived adherence scores and food list adherence; however, a few policy elements (pricing foods to encourage healthy consumption, promote healthy advertising, serve foods from "most often" or "sometimes" list) did reveal a positive relationship with 2007 food list adherence. There was some support for the hypothesis for the overweight model, in that closer policy adherence (% allowed foods) was associated with lower overweight rates in elementary school children. The study also found that schools with higher perceived adherence scores had increased rates of overweight among grade 5 and 6 children. The level of adherence was not, however, a significant predictor of obesity rates. These findings are consistent with previous research demonstrating the impact of SNP adherence on overweight rates but not obesity. This study also found that physical activity, breakfast consumption, low-nutrient density food (LNDF) consumption, student sex and parental education were significant predictors of both overweight and obesity; in addition to these factors, parental income and television frequency were also predictors of obesity. The relationships between the co-variates and overweight and obesity were in the 3 expected direction. While the adoption of a SNP can be a positive first step to change the school food environment, promote healthy eating habits and reduce overweight among children, more comprehensive evaluation methods (ie. objectively assessing adherence to all policy elements as opposed to just available food and beverage items) are needed to identify potential barriers to implementation and accurately assess the impact of such policy interventions.

Download or read book Enabling and Barrier Factors in the Development of Elementary and Consolidated School Nutrition Policies on Prince Edward Island written by Catherine Freeze and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Schools have been identified as promising environments through which to reach large numbers of children and positively influence their health behaviors through nutrition policies. Despite emerging evidence that school nutrition policies are beneficial to the health of children, many schools do not have formal policies. To identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development of nutrition policies in PEI elementary and consolidated schools a document review and a series of interviews were conducted with members of a School Healthy Eating Policy Working Group, principals and teachers who were most involved in developing the policies.

Download or read book Nutrient Composition of Children s Lunches written by Jane Mary Caiger and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children attending schools with closer adherence to the SNP were more likely to consume fat intakes within the recommended range compared to those from schools who adhered to the SNP less closely (p

Download or read book Healthy Eating Strategy for Island Children and Youth 2002 05 written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Prince Edward Island Healthy Eating Alliance is a group of about 40 government & non-governmental organizations & individuals dedicated to the improvement of the eating habits of children & youth in the province. The purpose of this strategy document is to guide the work of the Alliance over the next three years. It describes the rationale for the strategy & the problem of obesity & poor eating habits among Island children, and identifies the Alliance's vision, mission, goals, objectives, and three-year action plans in the areas of nutrition education & promotion and access to safe & healthy foods.

Download or read book School Meal Regulations written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education and the Workforce. Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Teachers Awareness of the School Nutrition Environment in the Champlain Region written by Shalane Ha and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After the introduction of the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy (PPM150), Healthy Schools 2020 was initiated to facilitate the policy's implementation in the Champlain region. Few studies have evaluated teachers' awareness of school nutrition policies. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' awareness of the current activities in their school nutrition environment. A cross-sectional online survey was sent to elementary school teachers in the Ottawa and Renfrew school boards. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the frequency of nutrition-related activities at schools. Pearson chi-square was used to test for associations between awareness of policies and school food practices, and the presence of nutrition committees and changes to catered lunches and fundraising activities. A total of 243 elementary school teachers completed the survey. Most teachers (83%) were aware of the PPM150 and 25% were aware of the Healthy Schools 2020 initiative. Those who were aware of the PPM150 were more likely to attend school meetings, work at a school where the policy was posted, learned about the policy through the school website, and heard about the policy during professional development days (p

Download or read book Fast Food Nation written by Eric Schlosser and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2012 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exploration of the fast food industry in the United States, from its roots to its long-term consequences.

Download or read book Evaluations of School Breakfast Programs in Prince Edward Island written by Matthew McNeil and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past 15 years, provinces across Canada have developed school nutrition policies to inform nutrition decisions. In addition, Breakfast for Learning (BFL), a national organization, has developed Keys to Success standards to guide school breakfast programs. Although the number of school breakfast programs in Canada has increased in recent years, there has been little evaluation of the effects of the policies or standards on programs. Evaluation is important as it informs program decision-making and establishes accountability for policy makers, organizations, and other stakeholders. In 2010, the School Nutrition and Activity Project (SNAP) in Prince Edward Island (PEI) conducted the first provincial evaluation of PEI school breakfast programs based on district policies. Data were collected through questionnaires and on-site observations. Results indicate that some policy standards are being met, but overall, most programs need improvement. Only 2 schools scored 75% or higher on their adherence to the Keys to Success. Elementary, consolidated, and middle schools scored significantly higher than high schools. It is recommended that future policy-makers strengthen PEI nutrition policies by implementing required standards for breakfast programs.

Download or read book Behavioral Impact of a School based Healthy Eating Intervention for At risk Children written by Jacey Ann Greece and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Child health promotion is a salient public health goal. Childhood obesity rates have risen dramatically over the past few decades with more than 20% of youths overweight or obese by the time they enter middle school. Population-based strategies including those delivered through schools are needed to positively impact this trend. The IMOVE program evaluation, a quasi-experimental study involving one intervention and one comparison school, examines the influence of a school-based healthy eating program in a middle school cafeteria serving low-income, racially-diverse adolescents. Study 1 examined the association between the availability of healthy lunch meals (IMOVE meals) in school cafeterias and lunch and snack food purchase patterns of students. The introduction of IMOVE resulted in significantly less participation in purchase of low nutritional quality snack foods from fall to spring term. Students in both schools had similarly high participation in school lunch all year long, suggesting that IMOVE participation was sustainable. Study 2 examined the association between body mass index and purchase of IMOVE and standard school lunch meals in the intervention school. This study also identified sociodemographic predictors of participation in the school lunch program. Students who were overweight or obese had a significantly higher rate of purchase of both types of lunches, but even more so for standard school lunch than for IMOVE meals, compared to students who were not overweight/obese. Other characteristics significantly associated with participation in IMOVE and standard school lunch were nonwhite race, sixth grade, and low-income status. Study 3 examined the association between exposure to IMOVE and total daily food and nutrient intake measured using an abbreviated food screener before and after the intervention. At follow-up, students in the IMOVE school consumed sugary beverages and higher-fat milk offerings less often in their daily diets than students in the comparison school. Efforts to combat childhood obesity through changes in the school food environment have some impact, but require the support of policy action and nutrition education initiatives to be most effective. The IMOVE program proved feasible, acceptable, and sustainable, providing a model upon which to build additional intervention components to more comprehensively impact student wellness.

Download or read book Area level Measures of Deprivation Predict Food Patterns Among 7th Grade Students in Washington State written by Russell Jared Owen and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction: Studies find that disparities exist between socioeconomic status and markers of diet quality among school-aged children. Only a few studies have examined food consumption at school and away from school for the specific purpose of uncovering the links between food patterns and the child's socioeconomic environment. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine how socioeconomic environments contribute to the consumption of food items common used to assess diet quality in school-aged children. Methods: Area-level measures of deprivation were assigned to 64 middle schools (n=64) in Washington State using Singh Deprivation Index methodology. School level results from a Beverage and Snack Questionnaire completed by 9,319 7th grade students during the 2007-2008 school year were used to calculate school average frequency of consumption for snacks, sugar sweetened beverages, fruit, vegetables, 1% or nonfat fluid milk and 2% or regular fluid milk at school and away from school. Linear regression was used to determine the association between area-level measures of depression and frequency of consumption for food and beverages items. Results: Area-level deprivation showed a significant positive association with school average frequency of consumption for 1% or nonfat fluid milk and 2% or regular fluid milk at school, but no other food or beverage items. Away from school, area-level deprivation showed a significant positive association with school average frequency of consumption for snacks and sugar sweetened beverages. A significant inverse association was observed for area-level deprivation in relation to school average frequency of consumption for fruit, vegetables and 1% or nonfat milk. Conclusion: At home, students attending schools serving areas of greater deprivation consume food and beverage items putting them at nutritional risk at a greater average frequency than students attending schools serving areas of lesser deprivation. At school however, neighborhood deprivation does not influence the average frequency of consumption for nutritionally problematic foods. School food environments actually promote consumption of nutritionally protective foods among students attending schools of greater deprivation relative to their lesser deprived counterparts. This supports the importance for the availability of milk, fruit and vegetables in school meals in promoting the nutritional health of low-income students. Area-level measures of deprivation can be used to identify schools within communities serving students at the greatest risk for consuming food and beverage items commonly associated with poor diet quality.

Download or read book Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in Prince Edward Island Survey Period May 1975 written by Gerry Kazuo Tsuji and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Further Report on the Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in Prince Edward Island Survey Period May 1976 written by Gerry Kazuo Tsuji and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Challenge of Obesity in the WHO European Region and the Strategies for Response written by World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2007 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a brief, clear and easily accessible way, this summary illustrates the dynamics of the obesity epidemic and its impact on public health throughout the WHO European Region, particularly in eastern countries. It describes how factors that increase the risk of obesity are shaped in different settings, such as the family, school, community and workplace. It makes both ethical and economic arguments for accelerating action against obesity, and analyses effective programs and policies in different government sectors, such as education, health, agriculture and trade, urban planning and transport. The summary also describes how to design policies and programs to prevent obesity and how to monitor progress, and calls for specific action by stakeholders: not only government sectors but also the private sector - including food manufacturers, advertisers and traders - and professional consumers' and international and intergovernmental organizations such as the European Union.

Download or read book The Impact of School Lunch Length on Children s Health written by Rachana R. Bhatt and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The large number of overweight children in the U.S. has led school administrators and researchers to examine how aspects of the school environment affect children's dietary behavior and health. In addition to consuming nutrient rich food and exercising regularly, nutritionists have suggested that it is important for children to have an adequate amount of time to eat meals. This is because individuals only begin to feel full twenty minutes after they start eating, and as a result, those with a short meal period are more likely to overeat because they do not recognize that they are full within the meal period. This paper examines whether the length of time children are assigned to eat lunch in school has an impact on their nutritional health (as measured by BMI) using data from the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment-III. A parsimonious OLS specification suggests that a ten minute increase in a child's assigned lunch length significantly decreases the probability of being overweight by 1.83 percentage points and reduces BMI by 0.187 points. These results may be biased if there are unobserved characteristics of children and/or schools which are correlated with lunch length and are predictors of BMI. I address this endogeneity in two ways: First, I include an exhaustive set of controls for schools' nutrition policies and children's diet and exercise behavior that are intended to proxy for these unobserved characteristics. The results indicate a similar impact of lunch length: A 1.86 percentage point decrease in the probability of being overweight and a 0.194 reduction in BMI. Second, I include school fixed effects which control for factors that are common to children attending the same school, and and a 10 minute increase in lunch length predicts a 0.227 point decrease in BMI. Although the identification strategy cannot control for the non-random selection of children into schools, the proximity of these estimates to the initial results suggests that there is indeed a negative impact of short lunch length on health. Moreover, this observed relationship does not seem to be explained by unobserved differences among children and schools with different lunch lengths.

Download or read book What is the Relationship Between Child Nutrition and School Outcomes written by Annik Sorhaindo and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Barriers and Enablers to Implementing and Adhering to the Healthy Eating Guidelines for PEI Early Years Centres written by Kimberly J.M. Macdonald and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The importance of the early years on forming positive health behaviors and nutrition relationships has been well established. Many children spend a considerable amount of their day in child care at Early Years Centres. Implementing Healthy Eating Guidelines in Early Years Centres is an important way to promote nutrition and create healthy eating environments for young children. In April 2012, Healthy Eating Guidelines were implemented in all Early Years Centres across Prince Edward Island. Since that time no Island-wide evaluation has occurred to examine the impact of these guidelines. The purpose of this study is to understand the barriers and enablers of the Healthy Eating Guidelines from the perspective of key stakeholders in Early Years Centres on PEI. All 47 Early Years Centres on PEI were invited to participate in the study. Focus groups and interviews were held with four participant groups--centre directors (n= 13), early childhood educators (n= 4), cooks (n= 3), and parents (n= 7). Participants were recruited primarily through the centre director as well as through word of mouth. Data was collected on the understanding of the Guidelines as well as the barriers and enablers to fully implementing or adhering to the Health Eating Guidelines for Early Years Centres. The focus group data analysis method described by Kreuger was used. Six themes describing the barriers to implementation and adherence of the Healthy Eating Guidelines emerged from the data: High cost of healthy, food preferences of children and staff, lack of support for the Guidelines, lack of communication about the Guidelines, attitudes and beliefs of staff and parents, and lack of skills of centre staff. Five enablers for the Guidelines emerged: Governmental assistance, centre buy-in, parental and community support, training, and food education tools. Participants identified a limited support structure that enabled them to use the Guidelines. Recommendations from this study include: Providing Early Years Centres with a better support system including access to a registered dietitian, creating open communication with centres to increase Guideline awareness and knowledge, and increasing nutrition education and training for centre staff and children. Support is required to enable PEI Early Years Centres to effectively use and adhere to the Healthy Eating Guidelines. The Guidelines provide Island children a positive eating environment and the opportunity to learn and to develop healthy eating behaviours. Fostering healthful nutrition and behaviours in the early years can positively impact children's futures and their long-term health and wellbeing.